Santa Monica Launches Mobile Haz-Mat Disposal Service

Denizens of the green City of Santa Monica no longer have to wonder how to dispose of certain hazardous material. A new initiative by the Office of Sustainability and the Environment will now bring disposal and containment trucks to you, rather than residents having to haul potentially toxic wastes to a disposal center. Accepting all the same materials as the physical disposal center, these new trucks collect everything from auto products to prescription medications.

In order to make hazardous waste disposal more convenient, Santa Monica residents can simply call or email the collection service. A kit containing disposal bags, ties, and relevant information is then mailed to the resident, providing them with all the necessary tools to package their waste for collection. On the designated day, one of four trucks participating in the service arrives to collect the kit, making waste disposal hassle-free and accommodating.

The service is free for Santa Monica city residents, and the eventual goal is to shut down the physical disposal facility completely once the pilot program is successful. City officials hope that this service will lead to more proper disposal of materials such as aerosols, batteries, cleaners, electronics, and more by residents who would normally throw away such materials in the garbage.